By Beth David, Editor
Major league baseball players in the Fairhaven Acushnet Youth Baseball League will have a new option this season: 50/70 fields. That means that the 10-12 year olds will be playing on fields that are a step closer to their next level: a field that is the same size as the professionals.
The 50 means that the rubber (center) on the pitcher’s mound is 50 feet from home plate (instead of 46); the 70 means that there is 70 feet between the bases (instead of 60). The longer distances are in between the distances from the regular little league and the professional fields, which are 60.6/90.
“The league decided to do this as way to help those kids from 10-12 to transition from regular little league to the big field. So this is a stepping stone,” said Matt Ponte, Vice President of the FAYB, adding that a 12-year-old player suddenly goes from 60 feet between bases to 90 feet between.
The project required increasing the depth of the infield, so the grass of the outfield had to be stripped away and replaced with stone dust.
Three fields at the Shaw Road complex in Fairhaven (Veterans, Red, Blue) and two fields at the Pope Park complex in Acushnet (Joey Jason and White), have been resized completely pro-bono by BRW Property Services, owned by Brian Wotton of Fairhaven.
Mr. Ponte said the BRW did the work completely for free, so the league only had some incidental costs, such as new bases, stone dust, and a few other things.
Mr. Ponte said that other area leagues have already gone to the 50/70 field size.
“We think this is a great way for them to transition to the next level and then into high school,” said Mr. Ponte.
He said there are a few other changes that go with the new field.
“A couple of rule changes now that you have 50/70, and things that we have to teach our kids differently how to play,” said Mr. Ponte. “So it will be a learning experience for the kids.”
The pandemic hampered the league last year, he said. Although they were able to play a condensed season, they lost about 50 players who did not want to play because of the pandemic.
Mr. Ponte said he was glad they have the money to buy the things they need, considering the condensed season. He estimates the fields would have cost around $15,000 if they had to pay for all of it.
He said the league had a “really successful fund-raiser” selling Christmas trees this year.
“It was a really great way to help out our community,” he said. “And we made some money, too.”
Registration for next season is open until February 27, and is open to all students that live in or attend school in Fairhaven or Acushnet. Five divisions accommodate students from five to 16 years old.
To learn more about the league or to register, visit https://www.fayb.org
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- A worker from BRW Property Services works on one of the Fairhaven-Acushnet Youth Baseball fields at Shaw Road in Fairhaven to make it a 50/70 field, which means the center of the mound is 50 feet from home plate, and the bases are 70 feet apart. Photo courtesy of FAYB.
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- BRW Property Services converts one of three Fairhaven Acushnet Youth Baseball league fields at Shaw Road in Fairhaven to 50/70, which means the center of the mound is 50 feet from home plate, and the bases are 70 feet apart. Photo courtesy of FAYB.
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- BRW Property Services converts one of three Fairhaven Acushnet Youth Baseball league fields at Shaw Road in Fairhaven to 50/70, which means the center of the mound is 50 feet from home plate, and the bases are 70 feet apart. Photo courtesy of FAYB.
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- BRW Property Services converts one of three Fairhaven Acushnet Youth Baseball league fields at Shaw Road in Fairhaven to 50/70, which means the center of the mound is 50 feet from home plate, and the bases are 70 feet apart. Photo courtesy of FAYB.
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- BRW Property Services converts one of three Fairhaven Acushnet Youth Baseball league fields at Shaw Road in Fairhaven to 50/70, which means the center of the mound is 50 feet from home plate, and the bases are 70 feet apart. Photo courtesy of FAYB.
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- BRW Property Services converts one of two Fairhaven Acushnet Youth Baseball league fields at Pope Park in Acushnet to 50/70, which means the center of the mound is 50 feet from home plate, and the bases are 70 feet apart. Photo courtesy of FAYB.
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- BRW Property Services converts one of two Fairhaven Acushnet Youth Baseball league fields at Pope Park in Acushnet to 50/70, which means the center of the mound is 50 feet from home plate, and the bases are 70 feet apart. Photo courtesy of FAYB.
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